1 / 51

This Employer Webinar Series program is presented by Spencer Fane Britt & Browne LLP in conjunction with United Ben

This Employer Webinar Series program is presented by Spencer Fane Britt & Browne LLP in conjunction with United Benefit Advisors. W-2 Reporting of Employer Health Coverage: The Clock is Ticking. Kenneth A. Mason Julia M. Vander Weele March 13, 2012. Presenters. Kenneth A. Mason, JD

vidar
Download Presentation

This Employer Webinar Series program is presented by Spencer Fane Britt & Browne LLP in conjunction with United Ben

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. This Employer Webinar Series program is presented by Spencer Fane Britt & Browne LLPin conjunction with United Benefit Advisors

  2. W-2 Reporting of Employer Health Coverage: The Clock is Ticking Kenneth A. Mason Julia M. Vander Weele March 13, 2012

  3. Presenters Kenneth A. Mason, JD Partner kmason@spencerfane.com 913-327-5138 Julia Vander Weele, JD Partner jvanderweele@spencerfane.com 816-292-8182

  4. Agenda • Overview • Covered Employers • Reportable Coverage • Exemptions • Valuation of Coverage • Employer Action Steps

  5. Overview • PPACA requires that employers report, on Form W-2, the aggregate value of applicable employer-sponsored coverage • Optional for 2011 • Mandatory for 2012 (for W-2s to be provided in January 2013)

  6. Overview • IRS guidance: • Notice 2011-28 • Notice 2012-9 (largely replaces Notice 2011-28) • 11 FAQs and chart (2-15-12) • Reporting does not affect tax treatment of employer- sponsored health coverage • For informational purposes only • At least for now

  7. Overview • Reported in Box 12, using Code DD

  8. Covered Employers • Private employers • Governmental entities (except Indian tribal governments) • Churches and other religious organizations

  9. Small Employers • Transition relief for small employers: • Employers that were required to issue fewer than 250 W-2s for the prior year are exempt • For this purpose, must disregard any agent hired to handle W-2 reporting (e.g., common paymaster) • Applies on a common-law employer basis, rather than to a controlled group • Transition relief applies until further guidance is issued

  10. Example One • Corporation A filed 200 W-2s for 2011. Its wholly-owned subsidiary (Corporation B) filed 100 W-2s for 2011. • Neither corporation would be required to report for 2012, because neither filed 250 W-2s. • However, if Corporation B had been a division of Corporation A (i.e., they shared a single tax ID number), both entities would have been subject to the reporting requirement for 2012.

  11. Example Two • Corporation A filed 500 W-2s for 2011, but no single division or worksite had 250 employees. Moreover, only 100 of its employees had elected health coverage. • Corporation A would be required to report for 2012, because it filed more than 250 W-2s for 2011. • Number of employees having health coverage is irrelevant.

  12. Reportable Coverage • Coverage is “reportable coverage” if part of “group health plan” • For this purpose, may use COBRA definition. 26 C.F.R. §54.4980B-2 (Q&A-1) • Plan maintained by an employer or employee organization, and • Providing “medical care” to individuals with an employment-related connection

  13. Reportable Coverage • Reportable coverage includes: • Medical • Prescription drug • Dental (unless exempt) • Vision (unless exempt) • Either insured or self-funded • Also includes dependent coverage

  14. Reportable Coverage • Generally, must report value of both non-taxable and taxable health coverage • Example: Taxable coverage provided to domestic partner or child over age 27 • But should not report (in Box 12) benefits that are taxable only . . . • Due to violation of Code Section 105(h) nondiscrimination rules, or • Because received by a 2% or greater S corporation shareholder

  15. Non-Reportable Amounts • The following are not “reportable coverage” (and therefore should not be reported): • Contributions to • Health Savings Accounts (“HSAs”) • Archer Medical Savings Accounts • Note, however, that these contributions must be reported in same box (Box 12), using Code W • Accident, long-term care, disability income, workers’ compensation, or life insurance • Health club memberships

  16. “Noncoordinated” Benefits • Hospital indemnity insurance and coverage for a specific disease or illness: • Should not be reported if premiums are paid exclusively by employees on an after-tax basis • Must be reported if employees pay premiums on a pre-taxbasis (or employer pays premiums) • In this case, entire value of coverage must be reported • Even if otherwise exempt from ERISA as a “voluntary insurance arrangement” • And even if an “excepted benefit” under HIPAA

  17. Temporary Exemptions • Until further guidance is issued, the following types of coverage need not be reported (but also may be reported): • Coverage under a multiemployer plan • Coverage under any self-insured plan that is exempt from COBRA (such as a church plan) • Coverage under a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (“HRA”)

  18. Dental or Vision Coverage • Dental or vision coverage is exempt if an “excepted benefit” under HIPAA: • Offered under a separate policy, certificate, or contract of insurance or • May be elected separately in return for an additional premium • Subject to optionalreporting

  19. EAPs, Wellness, and Clinics • Employee assistance plans, wellness programs, and on-site medical clinics: • Should not be reported if no “medical care” is provided • Examples of “medical care” • Counseling under EAP • Biometric screenings in wellness program

  20. EAPs, Wellness, and Clinics • EAPs, wellness programs, and on-site medical clinics: • Must be reported if: • Provide “medical care,” and • Separate COBRA premium charged to continue such coverage • Temporarily exempt from reporting (but may be reported) if: • Provide “medical care,” but • No separate COBRA premium charged to continue such coverage

  21. Optional Reporting • Employer may choose to report cost of temporarily exempt coverage if administratively easier to do so. However: • Coverage must be employer-sponsored, and • Cost must be calculated correctly • Might give employees better idea of employer’s actual health care costs (e.g., if cost of HRA, wellness program, EAP, or on-site clinic is included)

  22. FSAs – Employee Contributions • If only employees contribute to health flexible spending account (“FSA”), nothing should be reported on W-2

  23. FSAs – Employer Contributions • However, if an employer contributes to a health FSA (including via flex credits), some or all of those employer contributions may have to be reported • Definitely if employee’s annual FSA amount exceeds employee’s pre-tax contributions for all qualified cafeteria plan benefits • Perhaps if any employer contributions are specifically allocated to an FSA

  24. Example One • Facts: Employer A provides each employee with a flex credit of $1,000. • Employee X elects total qualified benefits of $3,000, contributing $2,000 of his own money. • He allocates $1,500 to a health FSA. • Result: Because Employee X’s own contribution ($2,000) exceeded his FSA amount ($1,500), none of the employer contribution should be reported on X’s W-2.

  25. Example Two • Facts: Employer B also provides each employee with a flex credit of $1,000. • Employee Y elects total qualified benefits of $3,000, contributing $2,000 of his own money. • He allocates $2,500 to a health FSA. • Result: Because Employee Y’s FSA amount ($2,500) exceeded his own contribution ($2,000), $500 of the employer contribution should be reported on Y’s W-2.

  26. Example Three • Employer C makes a matching contribution to each employee’s health FSA, equal to 100% of the first $700 the employee contributes to his or her own FSA. • Per Notice 2012-9, this $700 employer contribution must be reported, regardless of how much an employee contributes for other qualified benefits. • Apparently because this matching contribution was allocated directly to the FSA.

  27. Example Four • Employer D makes a $200 contribution to the FSA account of any employee who completes a health risk assessment. • Under the logic of Example Three, this contribution should be reported on the employee’s W-2. • Note: This result might be avoided if the employer simply gave each employee who completes a health risk assessment $200 in flex credits, to be used for any purpose under the cafeteria plan.

  28. Non-Employees • Need not report for anyone who would not otherwise receive a W-2 • Examples of such individuals (who might be health plan beneficiaries) include: • COBRA beneficiaries • Retirees • Non-employee directors • Independent contractors

  29. Special Non-Reporting Rules • Need not report on W-2 issued during the calendar year (at terminated employee’s request) • Third-party sick pay provider need not report the cost of any health coverage • However, if employer issues a W-2 during that same year, employer’s W-2 must report the cost of any health coverage.

  30. Valuation of Coverage • Amount to be reported should reflect both employer and employee portions of cost • Annual amount is equal to the sum of all monthly amounts • All plans of the same employer (but not controlled group) must be aggregated

  31. Insured Plans • Value of insured coverage = Premium paid to insurer • Example: Employer provides fully insured group medical coverage to employees • Insurer charges an annual premium of $7,500 for individual coverage • Employer pays 60% of the premium ($4,500) and employee pays 40% ($3,000) • Full premium amount of $7,500 must be reported on employee’s W-2

  32. Self-funded Plans • Value of self-funded overage = COBRA “applicable premium” (without the 2% administrative charge) • Example: Employer provides self-funded medical coverage • Actuary determines that applicable COBRA premium for employee-only coverage is $500 per month • Employer must report $6,000 ($500 x 12) for any employee who had employee-only coverage for the full year

  33. Mid-Year Changes • Valuation must take into account any mid-year election changes made by employee: • Example: Employee adds coverage for spouse in connection with marriage, or a child ages out of coverage • Example: Under non-calendar year plan, employee moves from PPO to high deductible health plan as of first day of plan year

  34. Mid-Year Changes • Valuation must also take into account any mid-year changes made by employer: • Example: Employer improves or curtails benefits during calendar year • Example: Employer raises COBRA rates during calendar year (because the 12-month COBRA “determination period” is not the calendar year)

  35. Mid-Year Changes • For convenience, may fix monthly value as of first day of each month, thereby disregarding any changes made during that month • Nonetheless, will require careful tracking of monthly changes, with the ability to retain that data

  36. Value Fixed as of December 31 • Annual value may be determined as of December 31 of reporting year • May disregard subsequent events, even if they affect the value of coverage received during reporting year • Example: Retroactive addition of coverage for newborn child • Example: Retroactive dropping of coverage on divorce

  37. Plans Providing Mixed Coverage • Options if single plan provides both health and non-health coverage: • Report only value of health coverage, using any reasonable allocation method • If non-health coverage is merely “incidental” to health coverage (e.g., medical plan with disability income benefit), may report entire value • If health coverage is merely “incidental” to non-health coverage (e.g., long-term care plan with small medical benefit), may report nothing

  38. Special Valuation Rules • Employee terminating during calendar year: • Mustreport value of coverage for period as an employee • May report value of coverage after termination of employment (e.g., COBRA or retiree coverage) • Pay period overlapping calendar years may be reasonably (and consistently) allocated • between both calendar years, or • to eithercalendar year

  39. Subsidized COBRA Premiums • May use good faith estimates if employer subsidizes COBRA premiums • Example: Employer A charges only $150 per month for single COBRA coverage • However, Employer A makes good-faith estimate that COBRA applicable premium for single coverage is $300 per month • Should report cost of single coverage for active employee as $300 per month

  40. Composite Rates • Special rules apply if employer charges active employees a “composite” rate • Example: All active employees pay same premium for either employee-only or employee-plus-spouse coverage. Plan also charges a composite COBRA premium for such coverage • Should use composite COBRA premium for employees having either employee-only or employee-plus-spouse coverage

  41. Composite Rates • If employer charges active employees a composite rate, but charges separate rates to COBRA beneficiaries, two reporting options: • Use separate COBRA rates, or • Calculate and use composite rate • Thus, employer in prior Example could either • Report higher COBRA applicable premium for employee-plus-spouse coverage, or • Calculate and report composite “applicable premium”

  42. Multiple Related Employers • If an employee receives health coverage from multiple related employers during the same calendar year: • Any “common paymaster” must report the full cost of the coverage • If there is no common paymaster, employers may either • allocate the cost on a reasonable basis (e.g., months employed by each employer during the year), or • have a single employer report the full cost

  43. Successor Employers • If an employee receives health coverage from two unrelated employers, where one employer is a “successor” to the other employer: • Each employer must report its share of the total costs on its own W-2 • However, if the successor employer issues a W-2 for entire year, that W-2 should reflect value of coverage provided by both employers

  44. Future IRS Guidance • IRS expects to issue further guidance on this topic • However, any such guidance would be prospectively effective only • And it would apply only to calendar years beginning at least six months after guidance is issued • No further guidance will apply to 2012

  45. Employer Action Steps • Determine whether subject to reporting requirement • Identify all coverages subject to reporting • Determine how to value those coverages • Verify that payroll systems will capture and retain the necessary data (including changes) • Consider special employee communication, either with or in advance of the W-2s

  46. What to Report

  47. What to Report

  48. What to Report

  49. What to Report

  50. What to Report

More Related